Surprises in materials science

摘要

This review is based on the first in a biennial series of lectures set up to honour Sir Peter Hirsch, who was Isaac Wolfson Professor of Metallurgy and Head of the Department of Materials in the University of Oxford. The lecture also marked the start of the department's fortieth anniversary celebrations. A number of 'surprises' that have emerged in the field of materials science are discussed; many of these are drawn from areas, such as dislocation imaging and brittle fracture, to which Sir Peter has made notable contributions.